Editorial Review:Album Description:This LA band has toured nationally with Two Gallants, Tapes 'N Tapes, Sound Team, and done Lollapalooza dates. They're known for their electric live shows and major publications have already taken notice, with coverage in Spin and a 4-star review in Rolling Stone. 'A gorgeous piece of geek-rock soul...Bravo, kids!' - Rolling Stone. 'Imagine the rawness of The White Stripes on day one. Or what Spoon would sound like at a church camp making music with found objects' - LA Weekly.
Amazon.com:You've heard at least three dozen bands like Cold War Kids already. Bands fascinated with the first Strokes album and bent on expanding the promise of that artistically ill-fated group; bands bent on delivering records that have a fresh take on life in suburbia but offering instead a minor variation of angsty clichés; bands that have quirky-but-catchy takes on songwriting; bands that try a little too hard. As unique as some of the ideas on
Robbers and Cowards are, it doesn't take long before Nathan Willett's vocals begin to grate (even when he channels Jeff Buckley during 'Passing the Hat') and the time between the initial excitement that swells with the opening cut 'We Used to Vacation' and the moment you realize that Cold War Kids is just another mainstream band over-mining a once fertile underground sound is short enough that you can cut your losses and find something more worthwhile.
--Jedd Beaudoin
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Related Items:
Disc 1:- We Used To Vacation
- Hang Me Up To Dry
- Tell Me In The Morning
- Hair Down
- Passing The Hat
- Saint John
- Robbers
- Hospital Beds
- Pregnant
- Red Wine, Success!
- God, Make Up Your Mind
- Rubidoux
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Solid but not Great
Hang Me Out to Dry is the single and probably what steered you the Cold War Kids. If you like Hang Me Out to Dry than you will like the album because it does not stray too far from what it does best. My favorite song is Tell Me in the Morning, which is song #3 but by song #5 the album sort of bleeds together and you are ready to start hitting the skip button. You can not blame a band for sticking to the same sound thru an entire album, but it does get somewhat old fast. Once again if you like Hang Me Out to Dry than you most likely will like the album.
Rating: 
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Robbers & Cowards
Cold War Kids-Robbers & Cowards *****
Robbers & Cowards just might be one of the very best albums this reviewer has ever heard. Vocal lines that could rival anything in the history of music. Melodies that melt like butter. Lyrics that are among some of the most personal, nicely crafted, and all around brilliant. Cold War Kids nailed it with Robbers & Cowards.
Opening with 'We Used To Vacation' and then segueing directly into the albums single hit, the beyond amazing 'Hand Me Out To Dry.' First off, the opener kills and the latter is among the very top songs I have ever heard. It blows my mind every time I hear it. Genius lyrics defined. Oh, the vocals are nothing to gawk at either. 'Saint John' is in a class of it's own. Brilliant in all the overzealous meanings of the word. A hymme but more sinful. 'Hospital Beds' is possibly the best songs I have heard in the last ten years. Those are just a few of the highlights. The whole album is incendiary so it would seem trite to indulge in the greatness of each track.
The bottom line here folks is that Robbers & Cowards is one of the more originally great albums to emerge from rock n' roll in the last ten years. Scratch that...make that ever.
Rating: -
Highly original, extremely creative, very addictive
Pay NO attention to what is written by Jedd B. up top there. If there were ever more false statements made about a band, I haven't heard them. The Kids are nothing like anything out there now, or ever. Robbers & Cowards is brilliant, brilliant, different music made by 4 talented Californians. Full of interesting lyrics that tell stories I want to hear, this album's songs are nothing short of enthralling. The music is tight, and each song is its own little masterpiece. Hang Me Up To Dry drew me in, the rest of the tunes kept me coming back for more & more. Love the piano, love Nathan's singing. Love the energy & the intention in every song.
Rating: -
First half of cd is awsome, the rest is ok.
As a prog rocker, I'm used to a little more change up in songs on an album. Although a lot of the songs sound the same, but different enough to hold my interest. Makes me want to hear thier next cd.
Rating: -
The BEST I've heard in a long time!
Caught HMUTD accidentally on Letterman one night and had to find out more. Went to Youtube and listened to everything I could find. Can't get enough of Nathan's voice-so powerful and soulful. Very thoughtful songs-WUTV title meaning was obvious first time I heard the line "I promise to my wife and children..." Being sober myself-I've told myself all of those excuses before. All in all, I am smitten and can't wait to see them later this month at Sasquatch-I'll be tha black chick at the front sporting my recovery paraphernalia! RAWK ON!!!
